CHOCOLATE GENOISE CAKE with WHIPPED GANACHE

6" cake, adapted from Soje Original on Instagram

 

 

Ingredients:

 

106 g whole eggs

28 g yolks

71 g sugar

14 g honey 

 

19 g butter

28 g milk

13 g cocoa powder 

 

64 g cake flour

11 g cornstarch 

 

 

Method:

 

Preheat oven to 380°F. 

 

Line two cake tins with parchment paper: a circle in the bottom and collar around the side.

 

Add eggs, yolks and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk immediately.  Add honey and whisk again.  Place the bowl over a pot of warm (104°F) water and whisk until the egg mixture is warm.

Place bowl in stand mixer and whip on high until the mixture turns ivory and leaves a trail that stays visible for more than 3 seconds, about 5 minutes.  Then mix on low speed for 1 minute, to refine the air bubbles. 

 

Meanwhile, warm the butter and milk over a water bath, to 122°F-140°F. 

 

Pour the egg mixture into a large bowl and sift the cake flour and corn starch over it.  Gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture, until mixture is homogeneous. 

 

Add the cocoa powder to the butter milk mixture, then whisk until smooth.

 

Scoop a little batter into the cocoa mixture bowl and combine.  Then pour cocoa mixture into large batter bowl and gently fold until well combined.

 

Divide batter into two cake tins.  Smooth top and tap once on counter to settle batter.  

 

Reduce oven temp to 320°F and bake cakes for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

 

Turn cakes out of tins and cool upside down.

 

 

 

Whipped Ganache Frosting:

 

110 g heavy cream

70 g dark chocolate

40 g milk chocolate

 

220 g heavy cream

20 g sugar

 

 

Combine the cream and chocolates in a heavy, microwave safe bowl.  Microwave 1 minute, then stir well until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

 

Add 220 g heavy cream and sugar to melted ganache.  Mix well, then chill for at least 5 hours.

Whip chocolate ganache until it becomes slightly firm and holds its shape.

 

 

 

Assembling the cake:

 

Slice each cake in half and lightly soak each layer with simple syrup, then spread a generous layer of ganache between each layer.  Stack and cover with remaining ganache.

SAUCY CURRY NOODLES

From @TheAlmondLane on Instagram

 

Ingredients:

 

Tofu:

1 block extra firm tofu, grated

⅓ c soy sauce

1" ginger, grated

1 T rice vinegar

1 t smoked paprika

1 t garlic powder

1 t sesame oil

 

Sauce:

2 t curry paste

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1" ginger, grated

Juice of ½ lime 

1 t brown sugar 

1 T peanut butter 

1 T soy sauce

1 t sesame oil

400ml coconut milk 

Broccoli:

1 broccoli head, cut into florets

1 t sesame oil

1 t garlic powder

½ t salt

 

Other:

3 servings vermicelli noodles, cooked according to package instructions

Sesame seeds to garnish

Chili crisp 

Method:

 

Mix tofu marinade ingredients in a large bowl, setting aside 2 T marinade.  Add the tofu to the bowl and mix.  Spread over a lined baking sheet and roast at 400°F for 20 minutes, or until crispy.  Stir halfway through.  Once crispy, toss with reserved marinade.

 

Add all sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into a dutch oven, rinse the blender out with ½ c water and add to the dutch oven.  Bring to simmer, turn heat down to low and cook 10 minutes.

 

Steam broccoli florets 6 minutes, then toss with sesame oil, garlic powder and salt.  

 

Serve the noodles topped with a few spoonfuls of sauce, add tofu, broccoli, sesame seeds and chili crisp.

CHEUNG FUNG SAUCE

Ingredients:

 

4 t oyster sauce

1 t soy sauce 

½ t kuromitsu syrup

2 T hot water

 

 

Method:

 

Mix together and pour over cheung fung, bok choy, or broccoli. 

GINGER SCALLION OIL

From The Woks of Life

 

Ingredients:

 

4 T scallions, finely chopped

3 T ginger, grated from frozen

 

½ c olive oil

Pinch of salt

 

 

Method:

 

Heat oil until shimmering in a small saucepan.

 

Add ginger and scallions and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

 

Remove from heat, stir in salt, and transfer to a bowl or jar. 

MISO BUTTER SCALLOPS

Adapted from Omnivore's Cookbook

 

Ingredients: 

 

Miso butter

¼ c white miso

2½ + 1 T unsalted butter, divided

½ t sake

½ t balsamic vinegar

 

1 lb scallops

Salt

Lemon wedges

Method:

 

Whisk miso and 2½ T butter thoroughly in a small bowl.

 

Heat sake and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat until just warm.  Add miso butter and turn off heat.  Whisk until smooth.

 

Preheat a dry large skillet over medium heat.  Add the remaining 1 T butter.  Once the butter is melted and beginning to brown, add the scallops.  Cook 1 minute, then flip and reduce heat to low.  Cook until no longer translucent.

 

Add miso butter onto the serving plate, top with scallops.  Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

BUTTER MOCHI CAKE

From Bake with Elle

  

Ingredients:

 

56 g unsalted butter (4 T), plus more to grease pan

236 g milk (1 c)

200 g coconut milk 

2 eggs, whisked

1 t vanilla extract 

8 oz mochiko flour (glutinous rice flour)

198 g granulated sugar (1 c)

1 t baking powder

¼ t salt (omit if using salted butter)

Method:

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish and set aside. 

 

Melt the butter and combine with milk, coconut milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.

 

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.

 

Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until top is golden and center is set.

 

Cool, slice and serve. 

SOUR CHERRY FRANGIPANE PIE

Press-in crust, Sour Cherries, Frangipane

Ingredients: 

 

Press-In Crust:

8 T butter, melted in the microwave for 30 seconds

1 T water 

1¼ c all-purpose flour

¼ c cornstarch

2 T powdered sugar

½ t kosher salt

 

Cherry Filling:

6 c sour cherries, pitted (2 2/3 lb unpitted, at the market) 

1 c granulated sugar

4 T corn starch

¼ t salt

 

Frangipane:

4 T butter, melted in the microwave in 10 second increments

½ c granulated sugar

1 egg, beaten

½ t vanilla extract

⅛ t almond extract 

⅛ t salt

¾ c almond flour 

 

Method:

 

Preheat oven to 425°F and place rack in lower third of oven.  Place the pie dish on a baking sheet covered with a piece of parchment paper.

For the cherries:

 

Mix all ingredients together and set aside to macerate for 20 minutes. 

 

 

For the crust:

 

Melt the butter and add the water.

 

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Pour in the liquid ingredients and mix with a spoon until the dough comes together.

 

Using your hands, press the dough into the bottom and all the way up the sides of the pie dish, smoothing with the bottom of a glass or a large spoon, if desired.  The dough will be thin, but trust that it will cover the whole area.  

 

Pour the macerated cherries into the dough-filled pie dish and set aside.  Scrape the cherry bowl out but don't wash it.

 

For the frangipane:

Whisk the melted butter and sugar together in the cherry-macerating bowl.  It will be grainy.  Add the egg, extracts and salt, and whisk to combine.  Finally, stir in the almond flour and mix until smooth with a silicone spatula.

 

Pour the frangipane over the cherries and place the pie dish into the oven to bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake for an additional 45-60 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the frangipane is set in the center of the pie.  Tent with foil if the frangipane is browning too quickly.

 

Cool to room temperature before serving.

 

SOUR CHERRY PIE

Recipe adapted from The Gourmet Gourmand and King Arthur Baking

 

Ingredients:

1 double pie crust recipe

5 or 6 c sour cherries, pitted (2 - 2½ lbs at the market)

1 c granulated sugar

3½ T corn starch

¼ t salt

¼ t almond extract

2 T unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 T milk

1 T demerara sugar 

Method:

Preheat oven to 425°F and place rack in lower third of oven.  Place the pie dish on a baking sheet covered with a piece of parchment paper.

 

Mix the cherries, sugar, corn starch, salt and almond extract in a large bowl and set aside to dissolve for 10 minutes.

Roll out one portion of pastry and press into the pie dish, leaving edges untrimmed.

 

Pour cherry filling into pastry-lined dish.  Dot with butter pieces.

 

Roll out second portion of pastry and cut into 1" strips.  Lattice this across the filled pie dish, then fold over the edges of the pastry and crimp.

Brush lattice and crimped edge with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

 

Place into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375°F and bake for an additional 45-55 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling.

 

Cool to room temperature before serving.

COLESLAW

Ingredients:

 

3 c green cabbage, shredded

1/2 t salt

1 shallot, minced

3 T white vinegar, divided

 

1/4 c greek yogurt

1/4 c kewpie mayonnaise

pinch MSG

pinch celery seed

 

1 c shredded carrot, about 1 large 

 

 

Method:

Toss the cabbage with the salt in a large bowl, and let sit, squeezing occasionally, for half an hour.  

 

Toss the shallot with 1 T vinegar.  

 

Meanwhile, mix the remaining 2 T vinegar with the rest of the dressing ingredients in a serving bowl. 

 

Squeeze the cabbage, drain thoroughly.  Drain the shallot and toss it, the cabbage, and the carrot, in the bowl with the dressing. 

HONEY WALNUT BREAD

From Earth to Table, via Food & Wine's 2010 Best Cookbook Recipes

Ingredients:

 

2 c walnut pieces

2¾ c bread flour

1½ c whole wheat flour

1 T + 1 t salt

1 t instant yeast

 

1½ c warm water*

¼ c olive oil 

½ c honey

 

 

Method:

 

 

Preheat oven too 350° F and toast the walnuts for 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix the flours, salt, yeast and walnuts.

 

In a medium bowl, mix the oil, honey and 1½ c warm water. 

 

With the stand mixer running, pour the honey mixture into the flour mixture and knead until smooth.  The dough should be sticky.

 

Lightly oil bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour. 

 

Meanwhile, butter two loaf pans. 

Once risen, turn out onto a floured surface and push out the air.  Cut the dough in half and gently form into two loaves.  Place into the prepared loaf pans, cover, and rise until doubled, 1 more hour.

 

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Score the loaves down the center of each loaf.  Bake until risen and browned on top, 35-45 minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool.

 

 

_____

*Reduced water from 2 c, which made an unkneadably wet dough. 

POTATO KALE CAKES

Ingredients:

 

1 russet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 c skim ricotta cheese
2 oz cheddar (½ c)
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
2 T olive oil, divided
4 c kale, finely chopped
¾ c scallions, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
¼ t red pepper flakes
¼ t smoked paprika 

 

 

Method:

Simmer potato cubes in salted water until tender, drain.

Combine potato, cheeses, salt and pepper in a large bowl and gently toss.

Heat 2 t oil a large skillet over medium.  Add kale, scallions and garlic.  Cook until kale is tender, 5 minutes.  Stir in pepper flakes and paprika.  Add kale mixture to potato mixture, stirring gently to combine.

Divide potato mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping into one-inch-thick patties. 

Wipe out skillet, add 2 t oil and return to medium heat.  Cook patties until golden, 4 minutes each side.  

Repeat with remaining oil until all patties are cooked.